Anytime I get off to a good Monday start life is pretty good. I had a lot of fun with friends last night, and a great time with my better half during the day. I even squeezed in a nap, because I burned the candle a bit, on both ends over the weekend.
Surf’s not up today, nor the sun. Photo by Mike Hartley
We’re continuing the strong start this Tuesday, despite the morning fog and rain. A quick meeting and then a meal at one of our favorites on Reisterstown Road – Lenny’s Delicatessen – We always go there after a meeting we have up that way periodically. I love their Rueben.
The morning was very fruitful. A lesson I was reminded of today is, don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Another good day of exercise and hopefully some shooting this afternoon and evening for new images to edit. So off I go again.
Reminder that Cruisin’ Ocean City is May 16-19, lets hope the weather is nice.
I’m having trouble getting moving this morning. Both the body and mind are stuck in 1st gear. I’m up, showered, and been out and back from a haircut, but I’m sore as hell and the mind isn’t clicking with a lick of creativity yet. Unusual, because mornings I wake up motivated, not having an issue finding my grove.
Looking for my wave this morning. Photo by Mike Hartley
I did a little drawing last night and hope to start another piece today. Practice makes perfect. Or in my case better than the last attempt.
I had hoped for a bit of sun and some shooting but clouds are forecast all day. So maybe a little yard work first to get the blood flowing and the body limbered up. Nope, nix that idea, cold outside.
Take a Seat
Where to sit isn’t always clear. There are no assigned seats in life. Maybe a good seat up front looks good till you sit in it and find it broken. Or that seat in the nosebleed section you thought was the worst is the one that gives you the best perspective on life.
Porch at Tidewater Inn. Photo by Mike Hartley
Do you look for a comfortable seat or one that helps your posture? Do you like a bucket or bench seat in the car? Maybe a heated seat in a recliner or car? How about a racing seat with a 5-point harness?
I’ve chosen a seat in front of the computer for a bit. Next a higher chair at the drawing table. And it’s getting close to lunchtime but I don’t want to take a seat in the kitchen. The less time there, the easier it is to keep a good senior shape.
Random Thoughts of the Day
There have been few times more important in history than what we are experiencing now.
On the lighter side, it’s one of my best friend’s birthdays so a celebration will break loose some time.
He also made a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. So I contributed because it’s a good cause I normally contribute to.
It’s a bonus day. I get to see both my daughter and granddaughter for a few minutes.
By the time I finished editing, I had 89 photos so instead of piling them on here, I put a gallery up on my Zenfolio site, link below. The first 15 were posted yesterday. The first 2/3 of the shoot it was pretty dark out. Got some better shots as time went on. 6:45 am to 9 am between 33rd and 45th streets.
I didn’t know you could pull waves along. Photo by Mike Hartley
Wishing I was smelling that salt air but nope, back to reality and the thought of work tonight. Sort of like doing a face plant.
But not all is lost. A refreshed spirit. A renewed sense of hope and inspiration. Time is taken to reflect and plan. A relaxed mind and attention to the body. Learning to let things run off my back. Seeing things closing in and putting some distance between them and me. Learning to turn on a dime when called for instead of a straight path. Being mentally strong, taking a shot, and still coming out upright. Not letting highs and lows affect the focus.
Surfing has a lot in common with life. Maybe I should try it when this shoulder heals or is fixed.
Actually, I shot these on the morning of July 9th. I got up early to do 2 things. I wanted to see what damage that tropical storm had done overnight and I wanted a couple of minutes of solitude on the beach. I was thinking about my Dad who passed 55 years ago this day. I told my daughter I would be back in 30 minutes when I left. The sun had risen but you couldn’t tell with the heavy cloud cover.
I like the water and I believe my Dad loved it. He was a career Navy man till his medical discharge. A veteran of WWII in the Pacific on a Destroyer. Also a Korean vet and Operation Deep Freeze Task Force 43. I wish I had a chance to know the man much better and get his experience and wisdom, I hope he is proud of me.
I also know my father-in-law loved the beach. Also former military.
I was stunned by the crowd on the beach so I hung back in the sand for a few moments because I was having trouble with my composure thinking of my father and my recently passed in-laws. But as a few guys with boards passed by I heard their excitement and chuckled to myself. So I wiped a tear from my eye and proceeded down to the water where it was thriving with people much earlier than normal.
I’ve been getting in the habit of carrying my camera with me all the time now and using it more. I had thrown it over my neck when I went out just in case of dramatic damage from the winds. But I soon discovered a unique day. The winds were blowing offshore for a change of pace. The water was alive with hundreds of surfers. A very friendly group of people. Several came up and asked if I would be posting pictures. I told them my blog name and they also suggested a Facebook group called Ocean City Maryland Surfing so added them there also.
I completely lost track of time and 2 hours later I had a ton of images. I had felt as gloomy as the skies that morning when I touched the sand. As I walked off it the sun was shining through and my spirits were positive. Just one of the many times in life I feel like someone who’s passed is looking out for me. I could have easily gone back to bed in sadness, or just sat on the balcony and missed some great action in the water and interactions with friendly surfers. Maybe someone got my backside out there for a purpose.
Have a great day all.
Random Thoughts of the Day
A cold Coke in a glass bottle always taste much better.
Only a few more years tilll every day is a vacation day.
Time to remove the beach unintentionally bright back from the shore from the SUV.
I think I’ll schedule a day off for a day trip to the beach soon in the convertible.
Went out this morning and caught a few waves. Well more accurately I caught some people on waves, I was onshore with the camera. It was so overcast early when the waves were good I didn’t get the sharpness I had hoped for. That and my slow lens and lack of skills kept things less than optimal. I’ll add more excuses later with the next batch.
Early morning waves were the best but cloudy conditions made it tough. Photos by Mike Hartley.
I’ve got dozens more to edit and will post some of the better ones later today. I asked to join the OC Facebook site today so I’ll post some there if they accept my membership.
I learned surfers are a friendly bunch of people. I learned both old and young can surf. I learned there is some good from strong storms. But I also know that with a torn shoulder muscle I’m not strong enough to swing in that mess.
